Letters Home
by thecompletebookworm
Summary: A series of letters between two brothers tell the story of Colin's first year at Hogwarts.
1. Colin: Aboard the Train

**_A brother is a friend provided by Nature._**

Dear Dennis,

You said to write as soon as I could. Well, is this soon enough? I have only been gone a few hours. I already feel worlds away though. The Hogwarts Express is different from any train I've ever been on. I feel like I can't be everywhere I need to be or see it all. I really don't think I brought enough film.

There are so many things that just seem normal to the other kids, the ones from wizard families, like broomsticks. One kid actually asked how my camera was supposed to work. I showed him the picture of us at Nana's, the one where you tried on my robes. He said something about moving pictures and he wasn't talking about movies. Apparently, here the pictures and the portraits MOVE! The portraits even talk to you!

_Scribbled in smaller print as if the words were squeezed in later were the words: _I found a moving picture! It's in a candy called Chocolate Frogs. It's a card of a famous witch or wizard. I'll send it with the letter. You have to see it. Just don't stare too long, he's rather rude. _There was a smear of chocolate punctuating the inserted print._

Alex was trying to explain it all to me. Alex's a first year too. His Mum's a norm- I mean Muggle. I think it's just such a weird word. Where'd they come up with "Muggle" anyway? Alex says if I really wanted to know I could look it up in the library. It's supposed to be huge. But you know how I act around libraries? I'm way too loud. I'd rather look around and see things with my own eyes, and with my camera.

_The ink changes color here from the previous blue to a bright orange. _

Sorry, a red-headed girl came into our compartment. She looked kind of like Emma, you know that neighbor the one my age who thinks you're the "cutest thing she's ever seen," except she obviously wasn't girly like that. Apparently she has six older brothers, including those twins on the platform, the ones with the fireworks.

Ginny was looking for her brother, Ron, and for his friend, HARRY POTTER! He's real, Dennis! He's not just a storybook character! He's a living breathing Gryffindor second year (You were right when you said it was the best house. If Harry Potter is there, well you know what I mean: Gryffindor's a house for heroes and legends.) I spent a while looking for him, before going to sit with Ginny. She had a lot more interesting stories than Alex and definitely didn't pull out a book as soon as she could. Plus she had Harry Potter at her house almost all summer!

I have to go. There was just an announcement saying we'll be at the school soon.

I love you,

Colin


	2. Colin: Gryffindor!

Dear Dennis,

I DID IT! I'M A GRYFFINDOR! YOU HEAR THAT DENNIS! I MADE IT! I'M A GRYFFINDOR! I'M ONE OF THE BRAVE! GRYFFINDOR! GRYFFINDOR! GRYFFINDOR! AND YOU SAID I WOULDN'T BE ABLE TO DO IT!

Okay, I'm done I had my rant. I'm a Gryffindor. We had the sorting as soon as we got to the school. The castle was beautiful. All the first years, gathered around this giant of a man-I actually think he was a giant, you really never know anymore-named Hagrid. We all went in these little boats. I was surprised they could hold Hagrid. It's a sight I'll remember to my dying day even without a photo. As soon as my film finishes developing, I'll send the picture. Professor McGonagall, my new head of house, took us into the middle of the Great Hall. We all had to sit with this really large hat on and it talked! I wasn't sure what I thought it was going to do. But the hat just started talking, saying things like "such a curious mind" and "brave, never knew when to back down." Alex was sorted first. He's a Ravenclaw, so I'm not sure how often I'll see him. Ginny's a Gryffindor too.

Harry and her brother came in with a bang. They drove a flying car! We're going to have to find something exciting for you when you get here. Because Dennis you're coming to Hogwarts, just wait two more years! I wonder if they have any magic carpets, like in the stories we read when you were little. Though whatever we do, Mum can't catch us, but if we did we'd probably get off easier. Ron got a howler, which is like a letter that magnifies your voice but first it explodes! Ron's mum was really giving him the proper scolding and the whole school could hear it.

I got to meet Harry Potter too. Well not really meet him, but I got to introduce myself to him and I got that picture. I must have sounded like a babbling baboon. Though I did talk to him so that must count for something. He was going to even autograph it. Then this ferrety boy showed up. He was flanked by two of the ugliest people I'd ever seen. They were acting like the bodyguards in old spy movies, except they might have had one brain cell between them. Harry started yelling at ferret boy, to shut up. I might have said something incredibly-well I said something because all of a sudden everyone was staring at me. I was only saved when Professor Lockhart walked in. It was the three of us in the photo. That's another one you'll have to see after I figure out how I'm going to develop my film here.

Class is interesting, although Professor Snape looks like he swallowed a vial of poison, whenever he sees me. Though he could just look like that in general. Professor McGonagall changed into a cat right in front of us. And the food, Dennis is a whole lot better than anything Mum could dream up.

I should be going. If I want to send this letter out tonight, I have to leave now so Filch the demented caretaker doesn't catch me.

Your brother,

Colin


	3. Dennis: Howlers

Dear Colin,

YOU MET HARRY POTTER! What's he like? He's really really nice, right? Okay, you need to tell me absolutely everything! Can you try to get a picture? Pretty pretty please. Maybe even a picture that moves. That would be wicked!

I knew you'd be in Gryffindor! You're the bravest person I know. You would always protect me from Will, whenever he would pick on me about my lisp. You always were the best big brother ever. I already miss you soooooo much and you just left. I won't get to see you until Christmas. That's way too long. I can't wait until I'm eleven and then I can come with you. You can show me everything.

Your friends sound cool. Alex sounds alright. I mean he seems to read a lot and I guess he's in Ravenclaw, so that makes sense. If Ginny's like Emma, it might be okay. I mean it would be annoying, but Emma's nice enough (when she isn't acting all crazy and girly. I mean yuck!). It's so cool that she knows Harry Potter though. Maybe you could ask her or even her brother about Quidditch. You know how much I want to learn.

I don't think anything in the world could taste better than Mum's food, so I guess I'll just have to wait and see. Do you think I can send you a howler? I mean it wouldn't be mean or anything. I could tell knock knock jokes or something. It would be brilliant to have my voice echo around the Great Hall. It'd be so funny.

By the way, I have Mrs. Mathews for a teacher this year. I'm not sure how I feel about that. I mean she is just, you know, scary. She carries around a ruler with her during class and she glares a lot. I don't like her very much.

I love you,

Dennis

**Friendly reminder Dennis would be 9 and so his exuberance is to be expected. Also, Colin sent the first two letters, right after each other. Dennis would have had to wait for the owl to get there before he would have been able to respond. **


End file.
